Gelant sparkles as Bulls batter Sharks

The Bulls benefited from a hat-trick for the second match in succession, as Warrick Gelant crossed three times in a thrashing of the Sharks.

Livewire full-back Warrick Gelant scored a sensational hat-trick at Kings Park as the resurgent Bulls made it back-to-back wins in Super Rugby with an emphatic 40-10 triumph over the Sharks.

Having broken a four-match losing streak with victory over the Stormers last time out, the Bulls dominated proceedings in Durban, securing a bonus-point win to leap from fifth to second in the South African Conference.

Gelant claimed two tries in the first eight minutes following an early Robert du Preez penalty for the Sharks, the South Africa full-back latching on to Handre Pollard's clever chip over the top before crossing again from his own kick forward.

Adriaan Strauss - the scorer of three tries against the Stormers - was driven over to stretch the Bulls' advantage and, although the Sharks claimed a lifeline just before the break as Andre Esterhuizen powered to the line, the visitors effectively wrapped up their win early in the second half.

A penalty try made it 28-10, with Thomas du Toit sin-binned for collapsing a maul, and the Bulls finished with a flourish with the game long beyond their opponents.

First, Gelant completed his treble, again kicking on for himself in the 78th minute, and Johnny Kotze added a sixth Bulls try with the Sharks in disarray.